Ophelia, Princess of Denmark

Past productions

A play by

Imagine if you will … Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Hamlet reaches its conclusion; three of the key characters who die in that play then seemingly find themselves marooned in the after-life. Questions left unanswered from the original play rear their heads up again with ferocious intensity, an eternal nightmare of scathing unresolved issues, deep personal griefs … and shedloads of redemptive fun along the way.
Ophelia, Princess of Denmark is the fourth sequel to Shakespeare’s original plays written by Frank Bramwell. The challenge for all the sequels is to find new ways of re-presenting the work of Shakespeare; by putting his plays’ themes, words and characters into very different new settings, audiences are treated to a completely new understanding and fresh enjoyment. Staying true to Shakespeare by being different pretty much sums up what we’re trying to do. This play, specially written for the Alternative Shakespeare Festival, continues that tradition.

Feedback from previous Shakespeare sequels written by Frank Bramwell
News Shopper ***** “… when it comes to Shakespeare “re-written” I get very sceptical. But I was proven wrong as Heart Productions pulled out all the stops and the audience was treated to a delicious journey through Prospero’s messed-up mind. The audience is taken on a whirlwind trip through the Tempest’s dark themes of revenge, love, power and forgiveness, all delivered by a strong cast, reminding the audience they are not watching the real thing but a fabulous new sequel.”

“I went to see this play not knowing what to expect, and I was most impressed with everything I saw. As well as committed, talented actors, all aspects of the production greatly added to the whole evening’s entertainment. Well worth catching, an absolute gem! The time certainly flew by!”

Three Weeks – 4 Stars “ … a strong piece of Theatre from Heart Productions. The mix of the Bard’s script and Frank Bramwell’s words works well here and is helped by the enthusiastic actors. An accomplished and interesting performance of a play which challenges the three actors to the height of their ability. But they tackle it with passion and Macbeth’s remorse verges on the endearing.”

British Theatre Guide – 4 Stars “Frank Bramwell’s play, however, is that very rare bird, a genuinely unusual take on the play, which remains true to the spirit (and the words) of the original whilst making us question our assumptions about it. It’s a very original and clever piece of work … very compelling and, at times, even amusing . . the play itself is a wonderful re-exploration of Shakespeare’s original, from a totally different perspective. The blend of Shakespeare’s words and the writer Frank Bramwell’s own words worked very well."

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